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DESIGN AWARDS

According to Leonardo da Vinci, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Assuming Leonardo is correct, then the winners of EXHIBITOR Magazine's 31st Annual Exhibit Design Awards are about as sophisticated as afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace.

Take Gold Award winner Two Parts LLC. Employing nothing more than its own products and cardboard shipping boxes, the LED fixture provider designed and constructed a stunning 5-by-10-foot booth that captivated judges and attendees alike. Or consider Silver Award winner Cisco Systems Inc., which used LED tubing to create the illusion of a massive upper-deck space, adding prominence and allure at a fraction of the cost of a full upper-story structure.

Judges selected these winners and 13 others from the confines of a Portland, OR, design studio. The multidisciplinary panel waded through myriad entries from multiple countries, such as Colombia, Japan, and Turkey. Jurors were continually drawn to straightforward structures that leaned toward minimalism. Granted, a few high-tech designs also made the cut. But most of this year's winners employed a simple core concept paired with impeccable execution.